Gusty Winds Will Precede Warmer Days

A cold front expected to move through the Los Angeles basin late tonight or early Saturday will keep high temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s Saturday, but warmer days are on the way.

Before the temperature moves up, though, gusty winds will invade the area--beginning today in the high deserts, said Dave Beusterien, a meteorologist with WeatherData, which provides forecasts for The Times.

By Saturday afternoon, the northwesterly winds will be gusting up to 25 m.p.h. and will be even stronger in mountain areas, he said.

Today’s cold front isn’t expected to generate any precipitation, but coastal areas will have late-night patchy fog.

A possible weak Santa Ana condition should warm things up on Sunday, a trend that will continue through Tuesday, Beusterien said.

“High temperatures will be in the low to mid-70s on Sunday, and maybe a little warmer on Monday and Tuesday.”

Saturday’s highs will range from the 70s in the high desert to the 80s in the low desert. Low temperatures in the high desert will be in the upper 40s and low 50s. The low desert will have lows ranging from the mid-50s to the mid-60s.

Mountain areas will reach highs from the mid-50s to the mid-60s on Saturday, with lows ranging from the mid-30s to the mid-40s. Coastal areas will be slightly warmer, with highs in the upper 60s and lows in the upper 40s and mid-50s.

High temperatures will be about 4 or 5 degrees warmer on Sunday throughout the Los Angeles basin, but overnight lows will remain about the same as those for Saturday, Beusterien said.